The present invention relates to the cooling of a single or multi-floor building structure on the size of a residence, or a similar small commercial, office, or apartment type building. The typical building structure that the cool air ventilation system invention would be used within, would contain a closed off habitable indoor living space, separating a crawl space below and an attic space above. The cool air in the crawl space is captured by an applicable system of ducts, the cool air moved by the means of a controlled fan/blower air handling apparatus, and the cool air moved vertically by duct or air chase into the attic space. The hot air temperature within the attic is reduced by the positive cool fresh air flow drawn from the crawl space, creating an efficient means of lowering the heat load on the building, thus saving cooling costs, and related energy needs. The present invention also addresses a configuration of the system with a reduction and possible omission of ducts in the crawl space and attic space. In this arrangement, a vertical duct/air chase from the crawl space to the attic with a controlled fan apparatus would be used.
In some prior approaches, the movement of air within the crawl space, cellar, basement, and attic air is not blocked off from the indoor living space. That same air is allowed to infiltrate the habitable portion of the building. That same air could be contaminated by the odors, irritants, and contaminants within the crawl space or attic space; depending on how the air was being used. Some prior systems may use the building cool air combined with the cool air produced from an air conditioning system or heat exchanger. The cool air ventilation system invention does not mix cool air from the crawl space, cellar, or basement space with other building cooling systems.
The present invention was designed in such a way as to be applicable to a plurality of new and existing building construction means. The present invention was also designed in a simple means to reduce in place costs and operating costs. Where as other approaches are lacking in one or any combination of the following-cost effective, health benefits, simplicity, and performance.
Some lower level building contaminants that may be irritable and unhealthy for the building occupants may include odors, mold particles, and radon gas. The cool air ventilation system invention would reduce the crawl space contaminants due to the positive flow of fresh air and reducing the infiltration of the irritable contaminants into the habitable portion of the building. The described cool air ventilation system invention may also be utilized by the building inhabitants during the off season colder months, as needed to create fresh air to reduce the crawl space contaminants.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has two extensive published articles relating to mold problems in the U.S. The two articles are, xe2x80x9cA Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Homexe2x80x9d, and xe2x80x9cMold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildingsxe2x80x9d. Both articles interact and are applicable to most buildings. There are several health issues involved, such as asthma and allergy problems which causes suffering to millions of people. One of the key items the EPA expressed several times was that xe2x80x9cMoisture Control is the Key to Mold Controlxe2x80x9d. The EPA article, xe2x80x9cMold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildingsxe2x80x9d, mentioned above includes the following statement, xe2x80x9cMolds gradually destroy the things they grow on. Prevent damage to building materials and furnishings, save money, and avoid potential health risks by controlling moisture and eliminating mold growthxe2x80x9d. The cool air ventilation system invention helps to reduce moisture in both the habitable indoor portion of the building, and crawl space, cellar, or basement, and mold is reduced creating healthier living conditions, which helps to save health care expenses. Reduction of moisture in the crawl space reduces mold, which attacks costly structural building components, saving the building owner maintenance costs.
The United States Department of Energy-Office of Building Technology State and Community Programs publication, xe2x80x9cInstalling and Using a Whole House Fanxe2x80x9d, relates to cost saving of a whole house fan and health issues. The disadvantages of this technology is the outside contaminants are pulled into the habitable indoor living space of the building through open windows. The building inhabitants are then subject to allergenic pollen and dust. The cool air ventilation system does not contaminate the building structure indoor living space. It does not have an unattractive open hole in the indoor ceiling to winterize.
In the present invention, a cellar or basement area may be utilized for drawing cool fresh air through openings; the air flow may be filtered as needed with an air filter in an air filter housing frame.
In certain areas of the world, the present invention may act on it""s own for cooling a building. In other areas of the world, it may be an advantage to also include additional air conditioning equipment means within the building structure. The present invention reduces the heat load on the building structure. This is an advantage as the additional air conditioning equipment can be downsized, helping to offset equipment, maintenance, operation, and overall cooling energy costs.
The described cool air ventilation system invention reduces the building heat load, reduces building cooling costs, helps to save natural resources used to create energy, and reduces resultant contamination, provides healthier living conditions for the building inhabitants, which helps to save health care expenses, and enhances the longevity of some building components subject to hot attic heat and mold in the crawl space.
The present invention relates to a reduction of the heat load on a building structure such as a residence type building. This is accomplished by utilizing the coolness found in the lowest shaded closed off space of a building. Fresh air enters at the exterior wall vents or openings at the lower level, the air moves though the lower level circulated vertically and disbursed into and out of the exterior vented attic space. The positive cool airflow through the hot attic space reduces the hot attic heat, and thus reduces the heat load on the building. A fan/blower air handling apparatus with applicable ducts is a means of creating the positive airflow from the lowest space of the building to the attic space. Reducing the building heat load in this means is cost effective and allows energy conservation, and savings.
Another object of the cool air ventilation system invention is to create a healthier means to utilize the low-level cool air space, without circulating that same air into the building indoor living space of the building. The building structure is split into three spaces, a closed off habitable indoor living space, separating a low level crawl space, cellar or basement space, and a upper attic space. The upper attic space and the lower crawl space is connected with a solid duct or a combination air chase constructed in such a means to prevent air penetration into the habitable indoor living space. This means prevents odors, irritants and contaminated air from flowing into the habitable indoor living space and thus helps save health related expenses for the building inhabitants.
It would be an inconvenience for the building inhabitants to constantly regulate the fan/blower air handling apparatus for the present invention. The cool air ventilation system invention system fan/blower air handling apparatus is controlled by a plurality of means for efficient operation and benefit for the building inhabitant. The applicable control means may include any one or combination of the following, an off-on switch, a temperature operating switch, an exterior solar type off-on switch, a humidistat, and an adjustable intermittent off-on timer switch. The humidistat would be utilized to prevent damp air from being pulled into the building structure.
Unlike the whole house fan concept, the present cool air ventilation system invention, utilizes the air drawn from a cooler source of supply, and therefore enhances an efficient means of attic ventilation and reduces exposure to contaminants.
Another object of the present cool air ventilation system invention would be to enhance the reduction of dust particles in the moving air from the crawl space, cellar or basement spaces to the attic space. A means to help prevent movement of dust particles would be to utilize an air filter housing and air filter at the fan/blower air handling apparatus, at the air chase, and at exterior vents, and window openings. The earth covered crawl space, or cellar can be covered with a plastic flexible sheet membrane material. The cellar or basement floor can be covered with a concrete floor.
The described cool air ventilation system invention reduces the building heat load, reduces building cooling costs, helps to save natural resources used to create energy, and reduces resultant contamination, provides healthier living conditions for the building inhabitants, which helps to prevent health care expenses, and enhances the longevity of some building components subject to hot attic heat and mold in the crawl space.